FOOD part 2

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American

THE POST BREWING CO.

105 W. Emma St., Lafayette, 303-593-2066 Longmont Winner: Sugarbeet Louisville Winner: Waterloo Honorable Mention: The Huckleberry (Louisville); 95a Bistro & Sushi (Lafayette)

Americans know what they like, and they like fried chicken. Nothing says America quite like fried chicken. And nothing says good fried chicken like The Post Brewing Co. Grab a bucket and a few of their many delectable sides — and don’t forget the biscuits. Wash it all down with one of their signature beers, brewed on the premises, and for dessert enjoy a freshly made whoopie pie. Come on the right night and you can enjoy live music along with your food. All in all, it’ll be a great night in the U. S. of A.

Fine Dining

COLTERRA

210 Franklin St., Longmont (Niwot), 303-652-0777 Longmont Winner: Sugarbeet Louisville Winner: The Melting Pot Honorable Mention: Zucca Italian Restaurant (Louisville); Via Toscana (Louisville)

While most days, reheating leftovers from a crockpot is sufficient, sometimes it’s nice to dust off those forgotten slacks and eat a meal prepared by something other than my microwave. When you get the inclination to dine fine, Colterra in Niwot is the place to go. Enveloped by a canopy of old-growth trees, the restaurant is the epitome of relaxation and sophistication. Food harvested from local farms graces the tables and combined with the aesthetic style and culinary perfection of Chef Bradford Heap, it’s a combination that’s tough to beat. So, run a brush through your hair, call the babysitter and have the best local meal money can buy.

Kid-Friendly

LUCKY PIE PIZZA & TAPHOUSE

637 Front St., Louisville, 303-666-5743 Lafayette Winner: Eats & Sweets Longmont Winner: Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews Honorable Mention: Noodles & Co. (Lafayette); The Huckleberry (Louisville)

Pizza: one of the few foods picky kids can usually agree on and, unsurprisingly, a pizza joint has once again snagged the kid-friendly title. This is not your ordinary pizza, though. Unlike the Chucky Cheese many of us frequented as tykes, Lucky Pie has excellent taste. Their pizza begins with organic Colorado flour and is topped with ingredients like arugula, prosciutto and smoked mozzarella, then baked in a hand-built brick oven. Parents, don’t feel left out. With an extensive selection of craft beers, it’s a friendly place for everyone.

Overall Restaurant 

THE POST BREWING CO.

105 W Emma St., Lafayette, 303-593-2066 Longmont Winner: Oskar Blues Home Made Liquids & Solids Louisville Winner: Waterloo Niwot Winner: Colterra Honorable Mention: 95a Bistro & Sushi (Lafayette)

What’s better than hot chicken and cold beer? Apparently nothing for our readers.

That’s why they voted The Post Brewing Co. this year’s best overall restaurant in all of East County. Maybe it’s the fried chicken stacker for brunch, the chicken and waffles for lunch, the fried chicken biscuit for happy hour or the chicken bucket for dinner, all mixed with a plethora of brews, that convinced them. Or maybe it’s the assortment of non-chicken dishes and other adult and non-alcohol beverages that got their vote. More likely it’s a combination of all of the above, plus the authentic atmosphere and friendly, professional service. Regardless of the reason, the people have spoken, The Post Brewing Co. is a must visit in East County.

Appetizers

95A BISTRO & SUSHI

1381 Forest Park Circle, Lafayette, 303-665-3080 Longmont Winner: The Roost Louisville Winner: LuLu’s BBQ Honorable Mention: Waterloo (Louisville); The Empire Lounge and Restaurant (Louisville)

Always order appetizers. Even if you’re not that hungry, just plan on taking leftovers home.

Appetizers allow you to enjoy offerings that aren’t anywhere else on the menu, begin your meal earlier and ultimately draw out the dining experience. And 95a Bistro & Sushi is a great place to spend time enjoying your meal in a friendly neighborhood atmosphere outside on the patio or cozied up in the main dining room. Whether you’re in the mood for some edamame, gyoza and tempura, or a variety of delectable tapas plates to share, 95a Bistro & Sushi has tasty starters for everyone.

Catering

GEORGIA BOYS BBQ COMPANY

237 Collyer St., Longmont, 720-999-4099 Louisville Winner: LuLu’s BBQ Honorable Mention: Green Point Catering (Longmont); Efrain’s Mexican Restaurant & Cantina (Lafayette, Longmont); Snarf’s (Longmont)

When you’ve got more than a few mouths to feed, look no further than Georgia Boys BBQ for all your catering needs. The Shack in Longmont hosts events ranging from 10-200 people, serving up Southern comfort food that would leave Paula Dean questioning her life’s work. The Boys will build a BBQ menu to suit the needs of your specific event, whether it’s a company picnic, wedding or charitable affair. Seriously, ya’ll, it’s some dang good barbeque.

Lyon’s Restaurant

OSKAR BLUES BREW & GRILL

303 Main St., Lyons, 303-823-6685 Runner Up: Smokin’ Dave’s BBQ & Taphouse Honorable Mention: Lyon’s Fork; Barking Dog Cafe; La Mariposa Mexican Restaurant & Margarita House

This is where it all started. This is the heart of the craft beer and bluegrass music that Colorado is known for. But that’s not what this award is for. No, no. This gold star is for the food — the delicious grub that delights not just the taste buds, but a little thing Oskar Blues Brew & Grill likes to call the soul. What is the soul, you ask? It lives deep inside a smothered pulled pork sandwich and in the meat of smoky, slow-cooked ribs. It’s carried on the waves of live blues drifting through the air as you dip your deep fried pickles into some darn good dip, and it bubbles up inside as you sink your last bite of perfectly cooked burger with a gulp of Dale’s Pale Ale. Don’t let life suck your soul, keep it living large at Oskar Blues Brew & Grill.

Place To Eat Outdoors

LUCKY PIE PIZZA & TAPHOUSE

637 Front St., Louisville, 303-666-5743 Runner Up, East County: La Revolución Taqueria y Cantina (Louisville) Longmont Winner: The Roost Niwot Winner: Colterra Honorable Mention: Lulu’s BBQ (Louisville)

Eating outdoors, or “al fresco,” is a great way to spend an afternoon. In the open air at an accommodating bar or restaurant, you’ll get to hear the sounds of the wind, the bustling street and take in deep breaths of fresh air. No place is better to do that than Lucky Pie Pizza & Taphouse, according to our readers. With a great outdoor section to match their food and drinks, Louisville folks and those from around the County hail their family-friendly and happy outdoor space. It’s perfect for a lazy afternoon or summer lunch; a dinner under the stars or a quick drink at happy hour.

Place to Go On a First Date

SAMPLES WORLD BISTRO

370 Main St., Longmont, 303-327-9318 Lafayette Winner: The Post Brewing Co. Louisville Winner: Parma Trattoria & Mozzarella Bar Honorable Mention: The Roost (Longmont); The Empire Lounge and Restaurant (Louisville)

Samples World Bistro in downtown Longmont is the perfect choice for a first date. It has stunning rooftop seating that screams you know all the cool places to go. It has a great happy hour menu that will let you be frugal while demonstrating you know what makes a great dining and dating experience. The next great feature for a first date is the fact that Samples specializes in small plates. If the date is going well, you can stretch it out indefinitely by just ordering another small plate to share. If the first date is clearly meant to be your last date, you can scarf down that first round of small plates and call it a night by 7 p.m. But most of all, Samples World Bistro is a fun place to go that will make a great first impression. And the BW staff guarantees that the martinis are most definitely up to snuff.

Restaurant Service

PARMA TRATTORIA- MOZZARELLA BAR

1132 W. Dillon Road, Louisville, 303-284- 2741 Lafayette Winner: Super Mini Walnut Café Longmont Winner: Samples World Bistro Niwot Winner: Colterra Honorable Mention: The Post Brewing Co. (Lafayette);

Nothing makes a great meal like awardwinning service, and Parma Trattoria-Mozzarella Bar offers just that. Serving pasta, pizza, salads, meats, poultries and seafood, Parma’s chefs are always preparing unique daily specials that are sure to leave you talking about your meal for weeks to come. Add impeccable service to flawlessly executed food, and you’ve got a dining experience that’s sure to thrill. So grab a seat on the patio, order up a glass of wine and some of their house-made cheeses and enjoy the fabulous service at Parma.

New Restaurant

SAMPLES WORLD BISTRO

370 Main St., Longmont, 303-327-9318 Runner Up, East County: The Roost (Longmont) Lafayette Winner: The Post Brewing Co. Louisville Winner: 740 Front An American Dining Saloon Honorable Mention: Moxie Bread Co. (Louisville)

Just the words “new restaurant” conjure up endless possibilities. Will the food be good and different? Will the ambiance be fun or romantic? Will the staff be indifferent or gregarious and professional? Will the new place reward your visit or will it disappoint? And the answer is … all of these new restaurants are great. Our readers found Samples World Bistro in downtown Longmont to be their favorite, and why not? With its delicious small plates, contemporary interior and brick-walled and glass-fronted roofless rooftop seating, what’s not to like? It is well worth the trip from anywhere on the Front Range.

Take Out

SANTIAGO’S

104 N. Public Road, Lafayette, 303-604-0715 215 Main St., Longmont, 303- 772-1169 Runner Up: Georgia Boys BBQ Company (Longmont) Louisville Winner: Busaba Honorable Mention: Efrain’s Mexican Restaurant & Cantina (Longmont, Lafayette); LuLu’s BBQ (Louisville)

Sometimes life is just too hard.

You can’t be bothered to cook, and you’ve spent all day around people and all you want is to sit on your deck all by yourself bingewatching Breaking Bad. But you’re also hungry. In that case, call up Santiago’s before leaving work and swing by either their Lafayette or Longmont location for some great, reliable, fresh and authentic

Mexican food covered with one of their famous chili sauces.

Thai Restaurant

BUSABA

133 S. McCaslin Blvd., Louisville, 303-665-0330 Lafayette Winner: Panang Thai Cuisine Longmont Winner: Thai Kitchen Honorable Mention: Urban Thai (Longmont); East Moon Asian Bistro (Longmont)

If you’ve ever been to Thailand, you know that Thai street food will transport you to another world — a deliciously spicy world full of fantastic colors and textures and flavors. If you’ve never had the chance to visit Thailand, don’t worry, because Busaba is the next best thing around these parts. Busaba deliveries the mainstays of Thai cuisine with aplomb, serving up beautifully prepared, delectable dishes at affordable prices. Take a friend or five and order the whole rainbow spectrum of curry dishes, so no one has to wonder if they are missing out on something delicious. Order a dish “Thai hot” if you dare, but remember that we warned you.

Bakery

INDULGE BAKERY

1377 Forest Park Circle, Suite 102, Lafayette, 303-926-1676 Longmont Winner: Great Harvest Bread Co. Louisville Winner: Moxie Bread Co. Honorable Mention: The Huckleberry (Louisville); Eats & Sweets (Lafayette)

The baker is an integral part of any community. The breads, sweets, cookies, pastries and cakes they bake and sell signify happy occasions and allow us to take a second out of the day to make time for joy. Bakeries can transport us to our past by way of the familiar smells of baking dough or the memories of grandma’s favorite pie and mom’s special cookies. That said, our voters tell us that Indulge Bakery creates such memories better than any other in East County, and it excels at both the simple and the wildly creative.

Seafood

TORTUGAS

218 Coffman St., Longmont, 303-772-6954 Louisville Winner: Bourbon Street Seafood & Chophouse

For millions of years, Colorado was covered by an ocean swarming with tropical fish — the long-lost ancestors of today’s shrimp and mahi-mahi. It’s easy to close your eyes and imagine those prehistoric waters lapping at your feet — especially with an icy rum punch in hand. Tortugas opened its doors 20 years ago and for two decades this Caribbean-style fish house has been serving up five-star paradise in the form of its famed jambalaya, Cuban mojo and etouffee. This place also boasts the best Jamaican Jerk this side of Kingston, crab and potato enchiladas to die for, and daily specials featuring mahi-mahi, grouper and other delectable fish all served with some combo of plantains, greens, potatoes and fresh fruit salsas. After just one bite, you’ll swear you can hear the ocean. But be sure to save room for Tortugas’ award-winning chocolate bread pudding or Key lime pie.

Pancake/Waffle

THE HUCKLEBERRY

700 Main St., Louisville, 303-666-8020 Lafayette Winner: Super Mini Walnut Cafe Longmont Winner: The Egg & I Honorable Mention: Morning Glory Cafe (Lafayette); IHOP (Longmont, Louisville)

If pancakes are what you’re after, The Huckleberry is, well, your huckleberry. Located on the corner of Main and Pine streets in Louisville, you can’t miss The Huckleberry’s purple façade. Step inside and feel your cares melt away as the smell of fresh baked pies and pastries fills your nose before eventually filling your belly. Start off with a cup of tea, or perhaps an espresso, and then waste no time in ordering a king-sized stack of flapjacks loaded with wild-picked blueberries — that’s what you’re here for, after all.

Breakfast

THE HUCKLEBERRY

700 Main St., Louisville, 303-666-8020 Lafayette Winner: Super Mini Walnut Cafe Longmont Winner: Lucile’s Creole Cafe Honorable Mention: Morning Glory Cafe (Lafayette); Le Peep (Longmont)

If ever there was a reason to stop hitting snooze, The Huckleberry in Louisville is it — so wake up and greet the day with a funky country breakfast in this beloved Louisville restaurant. Nestled into bucolic Main Street, you’ll feel right at home in the bed-and-breakfast-like setting of The Huckleberry’s historic 1884 home. Once inside, the mingling scents of coffee and fresh baked pastries carry wholesome memories of home-cooked meals made with that all-important secret ingredient: love. The toughest decision you’ll face here is whether to order fluffy buttermilk pancakes, classic potato latkes or ol’ fashioned shrimp and grits — topped with farm fresh greens from the restaurant’s own farm, of course.

Burger

SMASHBURGER

2755 Dagny Way, Lafayette, 303-926-9700 965 S. Hover Road, Longmont, 303-458-7412 Longmont Winner: Five Guys Burgers & Fries Louisville Winner: Waterloo Honorable Mention: CHUBurger (Longmont); Pumphouse Brewery (Longmont)

There’s nothing like a great burger. The mixture of juicy meat, melted cheese, a toasted bun, fresh lettuce and some type of sauce all amalgamating to enliven your taste buds. Now just imagine even more flavor — the type that comes from smashing the burger, instead of simply grilling it. Plus, if meat’s not your thing, Smashburger uses the same buttery method to smash your black bean burger full of flavor. With a variety of burger options (truffle mushroom swiss, anyone?) you’re sure to find exactly what you’re looking for anytime you visit.

Bagel

EINSTEIN BROS. BAGELS

548 W. South Boulder Road, Lafayette, 720-509-8648 2311 Clover Basin Drive, Longmont, 303-651-9063 Runner Up, East County: Big Daddy’s Bagels (Lafayette, Longmont) Niwot Winner: Happy Mountain Bean and Bistro (formerly Eye Opener Coffee Shop)

It takes real skill to produce a quality bagel. Not just anybody can concoct the perfect combination of a hard and chewy outside with a perfectly textured breadish interior. Let’s face it, bagels are science and whether your favorite is cinnamon raisin, jalapeno, Asiago or blueberry, unless you got a bagel degree you shouldn’t be trying to make one of these things at home. That’s why the geniuses at Einstein Bros. Bagels are here, so go see them when you need that bagel fix. It’s safer and it will taste better too.

Brunch

LUCILE’S CREOLE CAFE

518 Kimbark St., Longmont, 303-774-9814 Lafayette Winner: Super Mini Walnut Cafe Louisville Winner: The Huckleberry Niwot Winner: Colterra Honorable Mention: The Dickens Tavern (Longmont)

NewOrleans has its own, amazing flavor, but Louisiana is too far away for a brunch outing. Fortunately, we don’t have to travel that far for an authentic creole brunch experience. Lucile’s in Longmont has got us covered when we get a hankering for that down home, creole cookin’. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu: red beans, grits, eggs, meat, biscuits and more. Don’t forget the perfect brunch staple — the bloody mary, which Lucile’s does to perfection in its Longmont location. And make sure to order a plate of beignets and a steaming cup of coffee so you can take a big chuck and dip it in, repeat until one or both are gone. Do this before, after or even during your meal. It’ll be Mardi Gras in your mouth with every bite.